JOEY BARTON has been challenged by Stuart Pearce to prove he is worth an England place.

Pearce was delighted to hear England coach Steve McClaren say he is considering handing the Manchester City midfielder his first call-up.

The Blues boss feels Barton, 24, (above) has matured after his well-publicised indiscretions and is ready for international football.

But he adds that Barton must push his claims by showing McClaren he can play well over a whole season - starting tomorrow against Spurs in the City of Manchester Stadium.

"I don't see why Joey shouldn't be talked of in terms of an England call-up and there would be nobody more pleased than me if he got in the squad," said Pearce (below).

"If you asked me is he the finished article, I'd say definitely not. The one thing I'd say about Joey is as the months and days go by, he is getting better and better.

"He's only had a good start to the season and he needs to back that up because he took his eye off the ball a little bit last season and he realises that.

"The second half of last season was not as good as the first half for him. He's had a good first half again and now the new England manager is talking about him being a possibility, that's got to lift him.

"But I need him to have a good second half to this season, then he can put a whole year together and put pressure on the England manager to pick him."

McClaren, who tried to sign Barton when he was Middlesbrough boss, claims he is not put off by Barton's bad-boy image - he famously pushed a cigar into a youth team player's face and fought with an Everton fan during a preseason tour of Thailand.

Pearce claims Barton now appreciates he must behave on and off the pitch.

"What Joey needed to do was settle down, play his football and show maturity in his behaviour," he said. "And he's ticked all those boxes. He's got an understanding now of what it takes to be a professional footballer.

"It was an option to sell him, but at the time we made an honest assessment and I said to the chairman that we needed to back the player.

"I think myself and the club made the right decision because Joey is a better player and person and I'm proud of him."

Micah Richards made his England debut last month and Pearce claims it would help him attract better players to City if Barton could join him in the international set-up.

"It would help me to convince one or two players to come from other clubs," he added.